New Stuff!

I received $200 today from GNEA!  I am sooooo excited.  It's not called a grant anymore... just "funds" I suppose.  Anyway, you tell them what you want and why... mine was approved!  With the money I am getting two things.

First a subscription to Brain Pop.  Brain Pop is a really neat website that has videos on every subject.  Check out brainpop.com and you can sign up for a free trial.  They have a regular version and a junior version for K-3rd grade.  The videos are animated and most of them are slightly cheesy (in a good way.)  I, of course, use the junior version.  The videos always use the correct vocabulary and explain things very well.  They have quizzes, comics, activities, games, and more attached to every video.  Just this week I used the video for main idea, one for subtraction, and one for holidays around the world.  Wow, that sounds like I show a lot of videos!  Really though, each one is only 4-7 minutes long.  The kids are so into it.  Granted, just showing the video isn't going to get them to understand everything - it's how you use it in the classroom.  I do the quizzes on the team board (our interactive white board) and show the comic for fun.  We have done the game a couple of times and some of the follow up activities were great and hands on, so I used those too.  Really, if you haven't checked it out - you should!

The second thing I am going to get are graphic organizer dry erase boards!  I am so excited about these.  A teacher I observed (yes, the same one who brought me to whole brain teaching) had these and they are awesome.  Take a look...




I am just buying twelve, but I plan to use them in small groups and when working in partners.  Our district really focuses on QAR and my first graders need a LOT of practice.  When we are doing partner review, or partner work, I can have them answer questions not just on the dry erase board, but in the right square for the type of question that is presented...ooohhhhh.  The other graphic organizers we use all the time, so it will be nice to have them for my small group work instead of copying them.  I hope eventually to get more money to buy extra so every kid could have their own - but I had to choose between getting some boards and a subscription to brain pop or just getting the boards.  I am choosing the former.  I need to send out a survey or something of some other great ways to use these boards.  I am just happy to have them!

I was surprised to find out that only a handful of people even applied for the funds.  It didn't take that long, and wasn't that hard, so I thought there would be lots of competition.  Guess not!